Seek Reveal – Thermal Imager Review

See the Unseen is the motto that drives technicians at Seek. This company thrives on providing users with high-end thermal cameras for everyday use. The Seek Reveal Series is a line of durable handheld cameras that are built for the field and outdoor activity. Whether you are inspecting a building’s HVAC system, want 24-hour surveillance in your home or to track/spot animals in the woods at night there is a Seek thermal camera to fit your needs.

Model

Thermal Resolution

Field of View

Viewing Distance

Refresh Rate

Storage

Battery Life

Seek Reveal

206 x 156

36°

500ft

9 Hz

512MB

10 hours

Seek RevealXR

206 x 156

20°

900ft

15 Hz

512MB

10 hours

Seek RevealPRO

320 x 240

32°

1800ft

15 Hz

4GB

4 hours

Seek Reveal Review

This is the first of the Seek thermal imagers. The Reveal is a versatile entry-level thermal camera. It uses advanced infrared technology that lets you see what needs to be seen in an instant. The Seek Reveal can be used if you are a professional in the construction and building inspection industry or want to spot animals during the night; although you won’t get as clear and crisp images as with the RevealPRO.

The Seek Reveal is powered by a rechargeable battery which provides up to 10 hours of operating time.

High-Resolution Thermal Sensor

The Reveal has a 206 x 156 pixels thermal sensor which is adequate, and the range is decent; more on the range later. The Reveal allows storing and transferring of captured images from the included SD card which can be removed and upgraded if needed.

The Reveal has a high temperature range for a thermal camera in this price range of -40° to 626° F. This large detection range will let you take on many job since it can be used in a variety of inspection types and environments. It can also detect heat loss and sources of heat up to 500 yards away.

You’ll be able to check leakages in your HVAC system or detect electrical outlets that may be overheating due to faulty wiring. The Seek Reveal is perfect if your homeowner looking for an inexpensive thermal camera to keep around for preventive maintenance and to identify heat leaks. The Seek also works well if you want to track or spot animals outside at night or scan your backyard at night for potential intruders.

Powerful LED Light

You may find yourself in dark places or trying to find the exact spot to scan with the thermal imager. Instead of bringing along an extra flashlight in your toolbox, you can use this thermal cameras 300-lumen LED light so that you’ll know where to look during inspections in low-light areas.

Ergonomically Designed

This thermal imager comes with an ergonomic grip. The head is angled so it is easy to point at your inspection target and still easily see the screen. This means you won’t miss anything when looking for places where cold air may be coming in, or hot air may be leaking.

The Seek Reveals controls are right at your fingertips. It has an auto-detection mode and auto emissivity function. It provides the most accurate temperature measurements in an environment where objects could be emitting nearly the same amounts of heat.

Built to Last

Designed for the toolbox, the Reveal thermal camera has a rubberized surface. The Reveal can stand up to daily bumps and scrapes if you work in rough conditions like construction sites. The Reveal can also be taken into the woods for tracking animals.

Seek RevealXR Review

You may have just found the best thermal camera for the money. The RevealXR utilizes the same thermal sensor as the Reveal but with a narrower field of view to increase the viewing distance by almost double that of the Reveal. Keep in mind though that a narrower field of view means that you see less target area than with a standard field of view. As an example, a 280 degree field of view will show you 5ft from left to right at 10ft; while a 530 degree field of view will show you 10ft from left to right at 10ft.

The RevealXR also has a higher frame rate (15Hz) helping it keep up as you move it without images jumping or jerking as much as they do on the Seek Reveal.

Thermal Imaging

The RevealXR uses proven technology to provide powerful thermal imaging. It helps to reveal problems in systems as well as the ability to spot and track animals at further distances than the Seek Reveal. The thermal sensor has a detectable temperature range from -40° to 626° F. You can spot temperature changes with precision thanks to the Vanadium Oxide Microbolometer.

Clear Imaging

With this thermal imager, you can get brighter images of fast-moving targets. It will smooth the display of live pictures so that you can make conclusive observations that will help guide you through your inspection processes; another benefit of the higher refresh rate.

Narrow Field of View

The Reveal thermal imager has a 36-degree field of view while the RevealXR comes with a 20-degree field of view. This feature affects the viewing distance. Instead of having a detection distance of 500 yards, the XR can detect out to 900 yards; but you will see less of the target area as mentioned above. The extended range of the RevealXR make it ideal not only for home and building inspections but also for tracking animals in the forest.

Color Display

The RevealXR thermal camera works day and night. You will have nine color palettes to match your viewing preference to. It has a 2.4-inch screen meaning you’ll be able to identify objects with ease unlike some thermal imagers with 1.4-inch or smaller screens.

Seek RevealPRO Review

It is a pocket-size thermal camera with high thermal imaging capabilities but also a higher price tag.

As with all the models in the Seek Reveal line it is small and able to fit into almost any pocket or carrying case.

Impressive Resolution

With a 320 x 240 thermal sensor, the Seek RevealPRO can detect heat signatures from objects as far as 1800ft. It has a considerable advantage in the image quality department, thanks to the longer and wider screen. It gives you more detail making it easy to troubleshoot critical issues. It has 76,800 pixels of data points making images clear and hot spots readable which is crucial when creating inspection reports and results.

High-Quality Display

Even with a high resolution thermal sensor, you’ll need a display that is up to the task. The Seek Reveal PRO boasts a 320 degree field of view. It features a 2.4-inch screen that is ruggedized using Corning gorilla glass; this helps the screen stand up to daily use without scratching or cracking.

The Reveal PRO has a 4X digital zoom allowing you can zoom in on an area and distinctively identify potential hazards in that area.

Multiple User Modes

This thermal camera allows using normal and spot modes to take temperature measurements. It also has an adjustable detection levels. You can control the range of temperatures more tightly so that it’s easy to zero in on a specific spot you’d like to see more clearly.

Built-in LED Flashlight

The flashlight operates independently of the thermal camera. Seek understands you may need additional light with your thermal camera and when you are in low light environments and need to see which areas to scan. You can quickly switch on the light to illuminate dark areas. It saves you from having to use two devices when scanning a low-light area.

Simple User Interface

The functions on the Reveal PRO are relatively easy to master. It has three buttons above the display and one on the right-hand side that operates the flashlight. The middle button switches the device ON and OFF. Operating it with one hand is simple.

It has an angled design so that it fits comfortably in your hands. The quick startup ensures that you can quickly scan an area to detect problems without waiting several seconds or longer as with some older thermal imagers.

The Seek RevealPRO takes thermal imaging to a whole new level for a very competitive price. It has nine color palettes, the highest resolution for its price, a wide temperature range, excellent detection distance, and substantial internal memory allowing you to store up to 4000 images. These features make it perfect of building inspections, outdoor recreation, facilities maintenance and so much more when you want a small thermal imager.

Seek Reveal Pro vs. FLIR C2

The FLIR C2 is another full-featured handheld thermal camera at the same price point as the Seek RevealPRO. The C2 combines a thermal sensor with a digital camera to compensate for the much lower resolution. The C2’s thermal sensor operates using 80 x 60 resolution, but it combines the digital camera create a crisper somewhat more detailed image. This is FLIR’s MSX technology. The thermal images from the C2 while good are nowhere near as detailed or crisp as the Seek RevealPRO. The Seek RevealPRO is the only 320x240 thermal imager currently available (as of this writing) that is under $1,000.

The FLIR C2 is easy to use as is the Seek RevealPRO. You simply point it in the direction you want to analyze and use the touchscreen to take a picture on the C2 and push the button on the RevealPRO. The C2 does auto calibrate which makes it freeze for a second or two when capturing images. It has four color palettes to allow display customizations to fit the environment or personal preference.

This thermal camera has nearly the same “smartphone design” as that of the RevealPRO, and it is also geared toward electricians, contractors, home inspectors, and hunters. The difference is in the image quality, image refresh rate as it features a 9Hz refresh rate instead of 15Hz in the Seek, and temperature detection range of 14° to 302° F instead of -40° to 626° F.

The clear winner is the Seek RevealPRO for its better features and performance at the same price point.

Typical Applications of the Seek Reveal Series

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Situational Awareness. With the Seek Reveal devices, one can stay alert as the thermal imager can detect intrusions by identifying heat signatures.

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​HVAC Inspections and Maintenance. Utilities must operate at top efficiency to keep running costs low and repair expenses to a minimum. These thermal cameras can reveal problems in ducting, valves, electrical components, compressor coils, etc. They are also essential to gauge the status of your heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems health.

Conclusion

You don’t know what you are missing until you use a thermal imaging camera to detect and fix leaks, faulty wiring, or identify potential problems and save yourself time and money. You’ll be surprised by the numerous applications you can use thermal imagers for.

The Seek Reveal Series of thermal imagers are reliable, versatile, and flexible. These are handheld devices with advanced thermal sensors. They have excellent resolution, user-friendly interfaces, and extended operating time all for a very reasonable price.

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